Ant Question??

[slwg101]

In the garden I have noticed two types of Ants, one type is black the other is a reddish brown and slightly smaller than the black, however on a recent camping trip to the Norfolk coast I noticed that the ants there were probably twice as big as the ones in my garden, it was almost as though they had an extra body part in the middle as they seemed elongated, I didnt realise there were so many different types of Ant, how many type are there in the UK and the rest of the world?? I look forward to the replies, tks, Steve. Lincoln.

[glsammy]

Welcome to WAB Steve.
I'm no expert. I know of the Wood ant, which is about 10mm long,the workers are reddish brown, and can spray formic acid from their rear if alarmed!
Then there's the Black garden ant, which is about 3mm. This is the common one we see around our houses.
Thirdly there's the Red ant, at about 4mm. They have yellowish red workers, and can sting!

[Deer Stalker]

I think theres about 15,000 known species & about 50 occur in Britain.

[aeshna5]

A good book that came out last year was Ants of Surrey by Surrey Wildlife Trust ( 1 of a tremendous set of local faunas- many of use to naturalists wherever they live in UK) + Surrey has 30 of the 42 UK species. There are keys to ID, entries for species + lots of general ant info.

[Wild-Woman]

Certain species of ant play a major role in the life of our blue butterflies too. And green woodpeckers love them!

[ginger71]

there are about 50 species in the UK. The following websites are well worth looking at;
Myrms Ant Nest
Ant Hill Wood | "Go to the ant thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise!" King Solomon.

Paul

[slwg101]

VMT to all the posters who have replied to my questions so far, I am now busy investigating the replies and any links that have been offered in reply

rgds

slwg101

[iainstott]

it was almost as though they had an extra body part in the middle as they seemed elongated

some ants do have an extra body segment, the formicidae (eg- wood ant) have a single-segmented pedicel (the segment in front of the abdomen) but the sub-family myrmicidae have a 2-segmented pedicel. It's these 'red ants' that can give a nasty sting, unlike other ants, although some of these have a painful bite and can spray formic acid, which some scottish wood ants were doing to me just the other day

[Mr Mag00]

I Use the Naturalists Handbook No 24 by Skinner and Allen.
excellent introduction and key.

My fav is Meadow ant Lasius Flavus which produces the classic mounds on undisturbed meadows andgrasslands

those spp involved in the ecology of the blue butterflies is the myrmica genus, if memory serves, as they prefer the warmer short sward grass/ herb make up of tightly grazed meadows <5cms especially chalk hence their diminishing colonies as you move north.
The sp most noted for its association with the 'blues' is M sabuleti, the pupal stage of the large Blue Maculinia arion needs it to overwinter under ground where it repays its host by eating pupea.